Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yogigi Snow’

ABSTRACT

A new  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Yogigi Snow,’ particularly distinguished by the small white flowers with strong stiff plants, short, compact and mounded plant habit with a natural flowering season about the middle of September.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed:Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Varietal denomination: ‘Yogigi Snow’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Chrysanthemum, botanically knownas Chrysanthemum×morifolium, and hereinafter referred to by the varietyname ‘Yogigi Snow.’

‘Yogigi Snow’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The newcultivar has small white flowers with strong stiff plants, short,compact and mounded plant habit with a natural flowering season aboutthe middle of September.

‘Yogigi Snow’ originates as a natural whole plant mutation of ‘YogigiWhite,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,435, and was discovered and selected bythe inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of theparent cultivar in a controlled breeding program in Alva, Fla., in April2007. The parent cultivar ‘Yogigi White’ has wider ray florets, shorterpeduncles, and a couple days slower flowering response time.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Yogigi Snow’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection inApril 2007 in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in April 2007, and continuing thereafter, has demonstratedthat the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘YogigiSnow’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generationsof asexual reproduction.

‘Yogigi Snow’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in theEuropean Union on Nov. 26, 2008 and in Canada on Oct. 30, 2009. ‘YogigiSnow’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior tothe filing of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinctvariety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘Yogigi Snow’ with colors being as true as possiblewith an illustration of this type. The photographic drawing shows aflowering potted plant of the new variety, and a close-up of theflowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions, measurements and aforementioned photographs weretaken outdoors in Gilroy, Calif. in late October 2009. These plants wereapproximately 12-14 weeks of age. The plants were propagated in Alva,Fla., then shipped to California at about 3-4 weeks of age, potted upand set outdoors in a trial.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘YOGIGI SNOW’ AND A SIMILARVARIETY ‘Crete’ (U.S. Plant ‘Yogigi Snow’ Pat. No. 16,677) Inflorescenceshape: Rounder, more pom Flatter, more decorative form form Plant habit:More mound/less ball More ball Plant size: Smaller A bit largerBranches: Stronger/stiffer Bit weaker/more flexible

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Herbaceous decorative garden-type.            Stems upright and outwardly spreading on short, mounded and            compact plants, with strong and stiff branches.        -   Plant height.—5-7 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—9-10 cm.        -   Plant width.—19-20 cm.        -   Garden performance and tolerance to weather.—Very good.        -   Crop time to flowering.—About 8-10 weeks.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—4 days at about 22 degrees            C.        -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—7-10 days at 22            degrees C.        -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—Closest to RHS 147A.        -   Immature, leaf color, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 146A.        -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—Closest to RHS 146A.        -   Mature, leaf color, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 146B.        -   Length.—1.8-2.0 cm.        -   Width.—1.2-1.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Base shape.—Attenuate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute to mucronulate.        -   Margin.—Palmately lobed; irregularly incised and serrate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Bifid T-shaped hairs.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Bifid T-shaped hairs.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—Between RHS 146A and RHS            146B.        -   Color of veins, lower surface.—Between RHS 146A and RHS            146B.        -   Petiole color.—Between RHS 146A and RHS 146B.        -   Length.—0.5-0.7 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Texture.—Bifid T-shaped hairs.-   Stem:    -   -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—About 10.        -   Quantity of leaves per branch.—About 6-8.        -   Color of stem.—Between RHS 144B and 144C.        -   Length of stem.—5.5-6.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.3-0.35 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—0.5-0.8 cm.        -   Texture.—Bifid T-shaped hairs.        -   Color of peduncle.—Between RHS 147A and RHS 146B, but            appears lighter because of so many hairs.        -   Length of peduncle.—3.5-4.5 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.1-0.15 cm.        -   Texture.—Bifid T-shaped hairs.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Composite type, solitary inflorescences            (decorative-type) borne terminally above foliage, ray            florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.        -   Blooming habit.—Natural season flowering about the middle of            September.        -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—45-50 open flowers and            15-20 buds.        -   Quantity of inflorescences per lateral stem.—6-7.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 4            weeks.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly spicy.-   Bud (just before opening/showing color):    -   -   Color.—RHS 10C.        -   Length.—0.6-0.8 cm.        -   Width.—0.9-1.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblate.-   Immature inflorescence:    -   -   Diameter.—2.5-3.0 cm.        -   Color of ray florets, upper surface.—Between RHS 4C and RHS            4D.        -   Color of ray florets, lower surface.—RHS 4D.-   Mature inflorescence:    -   -   Diameter.—3.4-3.6 cm.        -   Depth.—1.0 cm.        -   Total diameter of ‘disc’.—0.3-0.4 cm.        -   Receptacle height.—0.35 cm.        -   Receptacle diameter.—0.4 cm.-   Ray florets:    -   -   Average quantity of florets.—140 in numerous whorls.        -   Color of florets, upper surface.—RHS 4D maturing to RHS 155D            but whiter.        -   Color of florets, lower surface.—RHS 155D becoming white            upon maturation.        -   Length.—1.5-1.6 cm.        -   Width.—0.5-0.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex shape.—Praemorse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Papillose.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Papillose.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Average quantity of florets.—10-20.        -   Color of florets.—RHS 1C with RHS 17B apex.        -   Length.—0.4 cm.        -   Width.—0.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Tubular, elongated.        -   Apex shape.—Acute, 5 pointed.-   Phyllaries:    -   -   Quantity.—About 25 in 2-3 whorls.        -   Color, upper surface.—RHS 146C.        -   Color, lower surface.—RHS 146A.        -   Length.—0.4-0.6 cm.        -   Width.—0.1-0.15 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Based.—Fused.        -   Margins.—Entire with a slight papery margin.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Bifid T-shaped hairs.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistil.—1.        -   Length.—0.5-0.6 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS 1C.        -   Style length.—0.3-0.4 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 1A.        -   Stigma shape.—Bi-parted.        -   Ovary color.—RHS 155C.        -   Stamens.—1.        -   Color of filaments.—RHS 2D.        -   Length filaments.—0.2 cm.        -   Anther color.—RHS 17B.        -   Anther length.—0.15 cm.        -   Anther shape.—Oblong.        -   Color of pollen.—RHS 17C.        -   Pollen amount.—Moderate.        -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been observed on this hybrid.-   Disease/pest resistance: Has not been observed on this hybrid.

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘YogigiSnow,’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.